Dear July, I have a secret for you but you have to promise me you won’t tell the other months (most especially October.) You, July, are my favorite month. Granted, you sit smack in the middle of my least favorite season but I can’t help myself. You win me over with your promise of vacations, bbqs, bare feet, and sun-kissed skin. And let’s not forget the birthdays. (Although maybe that’s just about me. Carry on.) July contains all of the essentials necessary for “The Good Life.” So it is important we bring you something truly remarkable to mark the occasion.

Behold Umba Box. Anyone who tries to shop handmade knows how frustrating it can be to find high quality products in a sometimes difficult market to navigate. Lauren Thorp created Umba Box to take the hassle out of shopping handmade while simultaneously adding the element of surprise. The premise is simple: just order a subscription and you will receive a box of handmade, unique goods ranging from housewares to beauty products to accessories delivered monthly right to your doorstep! Along with the impeccably curated goodies, you will also receive a note with the stories behind the artisans. A surprise package with a personal touch? “The Good Life” is off to a good start.

Umba Boxis giving two lucky readers a one month subscription each! (The box pictured above is an example.) To enter to win, please answer the following question by Monday, July 9th. Comments now closed…good luck!

What is the best birthday present you’ve ever received?

Start checking the winner’s box on Monday, July 16th, to see if you’ve won!

a box of coloured pens that i’d been coveting but didn’t feel rich enough to buy for myself from my “gang” of besties in my A level exam year.

my birthday’s right smack in the run-up to the major exams and amidst all the crazy revision when NOBODY remembered it was my birthday (i say it doesn’t matter when people forget but truth is it stings when no one remembers ), my good friends sprung the gift on me right after a very exhausting 2h lecture. i was seriously surprised and grateful, even if it was a simple gift

I’d have to say one of my favorite birthday presents was on my golden birthday (my 25th) my parents sent me and a friend to NYC for the weekend! It was a blast! NYC is one of my favorites cities and that was so special to spend my 25th birthday there!

For my 30th birthday, my mom sent me all my notes from high school that I apparently kept in a box in the closet (remember the days you’d write them and fold them up all artistically and pass them back and forth during the day). It was not only hilarious to read them, but really endearing that she kept a snapshot of my past for so long, knowing I’d appreciate them one day.

My husband and I are just starting out and money can be tight. However, my most memorable birthday gift was coming home from a long day at work to find the house spotless (including laundry). So I would have to say, “a clean house and a kiss on the cheek”!!

My sister always gives me great gifts but what I look forward to the most are the cards she chooses. They are always funny and slightly disturbing, which she says fits me perfectly. The cards crack me up and the notes she writes inside make me feel really loved and appreciated which is a perfectly lovely way to feel on your birthday and every day.

My birthday is in August so one year my mom put together the ultimate summer survival package for me. It was an adorable blue bucket filled with beach towels, an umbrella, adorable plastic cups, and drink fixings. Perfect!

The best birthday present I ever received was being in labor (which seems weird, but that labor inaugurated my first son the next day.) So Aidan DeMuth, who is now six foot four inches and sixteen years old is my best present. In a week he travels to Haiti to do relief work. He’s also been halfway across the world to Ghana, sharing his faith and helping pioneer well projects.

The best birthday gift I’ve ever received was when my family flew in to DC to surprise me. We spent the whole day hanging out at wineries – Good people, good drinks and beautiful weather made for a great day!

We didn’t always have parties growing up, but I remember the year my mom threw me a big girl party. We loaded up the van with my friends, went to a restaurant, saw a play, and I got to wear my cool outfit (a t shirt with a puffy paint flamingo and high-tops)!

Its a love letter from the man I will one day marry. We had been friends for ages, but together for only a month. He is so quiet, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have much to say! With him and his love I feel that I can do absolutely anything–and that is a pretty amazing gift!

I’ve had a few miscarriages, it just seems I can’t get past that magic number of weeks. My birthday was this past Tuesday and with it, I passed the dreaded week in my latest pregnancy. I can’t express the feeling of joy and relief. We may not be out of danger yet, but my birthday was filled with hope!

… I would have to say.. the homemade book that my daughters 10 and 16 made this past birthday ( June) it was photos of them growing..and things we’ve done as a family..and the opening page was a letter that they had written about me…as a person…as their mom..a wife..and what they have learned.. it was beautiful..and the most treasured gift yet.

I’ve been given so many wonderful things in my life for my B-Day….I guess for memory’s sake it’s between my first car my parents gave me for my 16th and a diamond bracelet my mom gave me when I turned 50.

I’d day my favorite birthday gift was a big surprise party with all my friends and family! I was almost surprised, but I found out 2 days before. It was all their thought and hard work that made my birthday perfect.

It was when I was a little girl,we didn’t have much money so every gift was treausured. I believe I was having my 9th birthday and my parents bought me a cabbage patch dol that they had to fight through a big crowd at Sear’s to grab me one… I can remember that my mom and I had to stay back while dad went in the front lines to get a doll that I loved so much…it was tough for him to grab one with all the pushing,etc.,but he finally grabbed one and boy was I happy…I’ll never forget it.

On my 19th birthday one of my college friends who was a printmaking student made me one of his first screen printed shirts. The shirt was intricately designed, one of a kind and kinda offensive, which suited my 19 year old self perfectly!

On my second birthday my sister was born. Although I joke that she was the worst birthday gift ever I honestly love sharing a birthday with her and having more of a reason for my family to get together in order to celebrate our birthdays.

My friends’ dog broke a silver chain that I wore a beloved crystal cross pendant on while we were playing a few weeks before my birthday. My (now-husband, then-)boyfriend bought me a replacement chain made out of white gold as his first birthday present to me while we were dating. It has been such a staple and and so dear to me that when I was considering what necklace to wear to our wedding, I considered other options for about 30 minutes before deciding that the history of the chain was MORE than perfect to wear on our wedding day. His presents tend to be a good mix of practical and sentimental, and that very first one really demonstrated that beautifully.

A couple of years ago my Sister gave me a super tiny Hello Kitty notebook. She had held onto it since she was reaaaalllly little. Scribbled inside, in colored pencil, were many cute little drawings of houses and tiny trees. Also inside it my Sister wrote, “I love you Alicia”. And on another page, “Love is the best.” It was the best gift EVER.

one year my best friend surprised me by rolling me out of bed, throwing a bag over my head, and leading me into a waiting van full of friends. they all took me to an undisclosed location (a secret tower in the middle of the presidio in san francisco), while serenading me en route. when we got to the top, they served me my favorite kind of lambrusco and banana cream pie (another favorite). although the day was punctuated by a visit to the doctor (i had a nasty case of toncillitis) instead of to the ice rink as planned, the evening was capped with a surprise dungeness crab (yet another favorite) dinner with a bunch of friends.

despite the bout of toncillitis, this one went down in the record books as the best birthday so far.

My husband’s cute proposal. Heshowed up at my house and made breakfast for myself and all my roommates. He sent me to the spa for the day & I was pampered all day. Then we went to dinner and he came home and gave me the ring. It was the most amazing feeling.

The most memorable birthday present I received was when I turned nine. I remember distinctly asking for a robotic dog, and got one as a surprise. I never figured my parents would spend that type of money on a toy on me. hahaha

I was feeling rather depressed last year after the death of my grandparents. My dad was also hit very hard but he decided to surprise me and my family with a trip to the snow. My sons birthday happens to be three days before mine so it was a wonderful present for the both of us. It brought back beautiful memories to play in the snow.